Setting up your spring air rifle for Field Target competition Part - 1
by Stanley Shaw
You have invested your hard earned cash in an air rifle and you are now enjoying hours of shooting with your club friends. Maybe you are looking to beef-up your gear to obtain its maximum capabilities and enhance your scores in Field Target competition. In this article we look at the ways to transform your ‘out of the box’ air rifle into a precision Field Target air rifle.
Many shooters simply upgrade to other rifles that are intentionally made for Field Target. Many simply upgrade to pre-charged pneumatic systems such as the Air Arms EV2 or the Steyer LG110 FT air guns. Without doubt, both these air rifles are top-notch FT guns ready ‘out of the box’ for FT competition. However, the intention of this article is to show the reader who has invested in a good spring air rifle capable of FT competition how to fine tune his equipment and maximize its capabilities.
In my
opinion, the two spring guns which have the right character for Field Target are the Air Arms TX 200 and the Wiehrauch 97K. Both these guns are accurate enough out of the box, however they need the extra effort if you intend to bring them to the edge of competitive shooting. I own both but I decided to beef-up the TX 200 since it’s a 0.177 caliber air rifle. The Wiehrauch 97K is a 0.22 and I will later dedicate it for HFT.
As everyone knows, a spring gun gives unwanted recoil and ‘twang’. Recoil can be mastered but sometimes it scares off shooters and makes them choose a PCP. Twang is something no one wishes to have and it can be completely eliminated - provided that you are ready to make the step to fine tuning your equipment. My personal experience also showed me the best way to learn to shoot an air rifle is by breaking-in your shooting experience with a spring air gun. I started with a PCP, I never wanted to shoot springers but, as my friends can confirm, since I got my second-hand TX200 MK2 and beefed it up to a competition gun, my PCP air rifles are sleeping in the locker accumulating dust and I only use a PCP for air rifle benchrest. Don’t give me a PCP for FT or HFT - I simply love my TX 200 and have plans for the 97.
The first step is to work on the internals of you spring air rifle. Cosmetics alone do not make an FT class air rifle. The finish and tolerances inside your spring air rifle mechanicals determine how smooth or rough it shoots in terms of recoil, twang and the consistency of your shots. Keeping the internal parts at the heart of your rifle in optimum condition is essential for its performance. The plunger spring and guide assembly are crucial. Recoil can be reduced, smoothed and tamed but never completely eliminated in a spring air rifle. Once you tame the beast you start to love its feel in your shooting.
The quickest way to achieve this is to get specialized kits for your specific air rifle’s internals. V-MAC has plunger seals, spring guides and springs that will readily fit your air rifle and smooth it down considerably. If you want the extra edge, install a V-Glide kit which consist of a plunger seal, spring guide, spring and a plunger with special delrin inserts to have the most frictionless movement into your air rifle
Target Shooter 87
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109